Cheeseweed is one of the finest edible weeds available in the Southwest US. Its abundant, mild-flavored leaves make an excellent cooked green, while the young fruits provide an additional vegetable over an exceptionally long season. Easy to recognize, widely distributed, and highly productive, it deserves far more appreciation than it usually gets and is one of the best mallow family members for foragers, though foragers usually eat the leaves and young fruits. You can eat them raw or cooked, but the leaves are. The roots, young shoots, leaves, flower buds, flowers, and immature fruits are edible, although the leaves and young fruits are the principal food parts. They may be eaten raw or cooked, but the leaves are generally best prepared as a cooked vegetable. Like other mallows, excessive consumption may have a mild laxative effect because of the plant's mucilage [2-3]. Edibility Rating: 5 out of 5 – An outstanding edible weed with excellent leaves and young fruits that are available for much of the year [2-3]. Taste and Preparation: Cheeseweed leaves are excellent in soups and stews. After only a brief boil, they become soft and collapse into a texture similar to cooked spinach or seaweed. Although this texture may seem unusual, the flavor is mild and pleasant, without the bitterness or harshness found in many wild greens. The leaf stalks can become hairy or fibrous, so removing them before cooking improves the finished dish. Young leaves are also suitable for salads, while older leaves hold up well after cooking. Compared with many members of the mallow family, cheeseweed contains relatively little mucilage, producing less of the thick, slippery texture often associated with mallows. The immature fruits, commonly called "cheeses" because of their wheel-like shape, make an interesting vegetable when harvested soon after the flowers fade. At this stage, they are tender and pleasantly flavored. As they mature, they quickly become coarse, hard, and unpalatable. Since plants continue flowering for much of the year, fresh crops of young fruits are often available. Seasonality: Cheeseweed blooms primarily from March to June, but in mild climates, plants often keep growing and producing fresh leaves and young fruits for much of the year [2-3]. Traditional Uses: Following its introduction into North America, Native Americans adopted the leaves and immature fruits of several Malva species as food. Cheeseweed itself has also been cultivated historically as a leafy vegetable in various parts of the world [2-3]. Safety: Cheeseweed is generally considered a safe edible plant. Its relatively low mucilage content makes it one of the more pleasant mallows to eat, although consuming very large quantities may have a mild laxative effect. Eat only the young fruits, as mature fruits quickly become hard and unpalatable [2-3]. Leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb[61, 114, 183]. A mild pleasant flavour, they make a very acceptable alternative to lettuce in salads[K]. Immature seeds - raw or cooked[114, 183]. They are used to make a creamed vegetable soup that resembles pea soup[183]. A few leaves are also added for colouring[183]. The seeds have a pleasant nutty flavour, though they are too small for most people to want to collect in quantity[K].

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The whole plant is emollient and pectoral[114, 240]. It can be used as a poultice on swellings, running sores and boils[257]. The seeds are demulcent[240]. They are used in the treatment of coughs and ulcers in the bladder[240]. A decoction of the roots or leaves has been used as a hair rinse to remove dandruff and to soften the hair[257].

The seed contains up to 18% of a fatty oil[114]. No more details are given, though the oil is likely to be edible[K]. Cream, yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the plant and the seed heads[168]. A decoction of the roots or leaves has been used as a hair rinse to soften the hair[257]. The flowers attract bees and other pollinating insects, while the foliage provides food for several insect species.

Special Uses